Online ramblings and other work displacement activities by writer David Bishop

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Oscar nominations announced today

After months of speculation and weeks of campaigning, the Oscar nominations get announced today. Hollywood buzz suggests certain films are a lock in the big categories, as are certain actors, writers and directors. Slumdog Millionaire looks to have the Big Mo, with noms for best picture and Danny Boyle as best director. Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon and Milk are other likely best picture candidates, but the 5th slot is up for grabs.

The same few names are touted for best actor [Pitt, Penn, Langella and probably Rourke] with variations at number five. The best actress race is more interesting, though Hathaway and Streep should be prepping their game faces. Will Kate Winslet get her 6th nomination, for Revolutionary Road? And a 7th, for The Reader? She's nominated as best actress for both at the BAFTAs, but Oscar rules mean her Reader role is being pushed as a supporting role.

Went to see The Reader last weekend, and it's daft to call her part a supporting role, but rules are rules. Whether Oscar voters will go along with the supporting actress campaign is another matter. Whatever happens, Winslet is long past due an Oscar - hopefully this year breaks her duck. I've got a lot of affection for Clint Eastwood, so have my fingers crossed he gets a best actor nom for Gran Torino. [Three more weeks till the film opens here.]

As usual, there's no shortage of great candidates for best adapted screenplay. That leaves a little more room for surprises in best original screenplay. The Wrestler seems likely, maybe some Mike Leigh action with Happy-Go-Lucky. Gran Torino could make an appearance, a film supposedly shot from the first draft. And will Babylon 5 creator and comics scribe J. Michael Straczynski need to dust off his tux for writing Clint's other contender, Changeling?

Draconian One - below is parts 4 - 6 inclusive of the Rules for the 81st Academy Award (Rule Six: Special Rules for the Acting Awards)

4 The leading role and supporting role categories will be tabulated simultaneously. If any performance should receive votes in both categories, the achievement shall be only placed on the ballot in that category in which, during the tabulation process, it first receives the required number of votes to be nominated. In the event that the performance receives the numbers of votes required to be nominated in both categories simultaneously, the achievement shall be placed only on the ballot in that category in which it receives the greater percentage of the total votes.

5 In the event that two achievements by an actor or actress receive sufficient votes to be nominated in the same category, only one shall be nominated using the preferential tabulation process and such other allied procedures as may be necessary to achieve that result.

6 In the event that an actor or actress receives a sufficient number of votes to be nominated for one achievement in one category and for another achievement in the other category, both achievements shall be eligible.